Hospital coffee machines have received some side-eye as a potential source of spreading infection, but a new study debunks the belief. “To our great relief…a general ban on coffee makers doesn’t seem necessary,” concluded researchers led by Dr. Sarah Victoria Walker, head of the Institute for Clinical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene in Ludwigsburg, Germany. For… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
Illnesses in Childhood May Raise Odds of Childlessness Later
Remaining childless throughout adult life might be tied, in some cases, to illnesses experienced in childhood, new research suggests. Childlessness isn’t just about fertility. As a University of Oxford news release on the study noted, “multiple social, economic and individual preferences have been studied” to understand why some adults never become parents. “Various factors are… read on > read on >
Better Grades, Less Time on Phones: Poll Shows Kids’, Parents’ Resolutions for 2024
More patience. Less time on phones. Healthier habits. Better grades. Parents and kids alike are making resolutions for the New Year, setting personal goals for themselves in 2024, a new poll has found. Nearly three in four parents say they will adopt a resolution or personal goal in the coming year, and over half say… read on > read on >
Most U.S. Parents Plan to Vaccinate Kids Against Flu, RSV: Survey
Most parents plan to have their kids vaccinated against influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), even as COVID-19 vaccine acceptance flags, a new poll finds. Seven in 10 parents (71%) plan to have their children get an RSV jab and six in 10 (63%) plan to get their kids the flu vaccine, according to poll… read on > read on >
Men Who Want to Be Dads Should Take a Break From Alcohol
Much has been made of the effects a pregnant woman’s drinking could have on the health of her unborn child. But alcohol consumption by men also increases the risk of birth defects in newborns – and a new study shows that guys who want to avoid this will have to cut out the booze as… read on > read on >
Your Child Has a Fever: When Is It Time to See a Doctor?
SATURDAY, Dec. 16It’s that time of year when your kids come home with sniffles and sore throats, but when should you worry if they have a fever? To a certain extent, fevers are the body’s natural way of fighting infection, one expert says. “Fever helps the immune system,” explained Dr. Christopher Tolcher, a pediatrician with… read on > read on >
Postpartum Depression Pill Now Available to Women, Drug Maker Says
The first postpartum depression pill approved for use in the United States is now available to women who need it, the drug’s makers announced Thursday. Sold under the name Zurzuvae, the medication can quickly ease severe postpartum depression and help women regain their emotional equilibrium following childbirth. The medication, which is now stocked in specialty… read on > read on >
One Way to Boost Mammogram Rates: Let Women Schedule Their Own Appointments
Allowing women to schedule their own mammography appointments increases the likelihood they’ll follow through on the screening, a new study reports. “Self-scheduling helps make the path to mammogram completion a little smoother, where you don’t have to find the time to call a scheduling line, wait on hold, or go back and forth trying to… read on > read on >
Too Often, Unlocked, Loaded Guns Are Fatal Playthings for America’s Children
A loaded revolver left out on a nightstand, a curious child — and unimaginable tragedy. Moments like this have occurred in American homes hundreds of times over the past two decades, killing 1,262 children, according to a sobering new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Overall, firearms used in [these] unintentional… read on > read on >
Moms & Their Babies Often Share Birth Month – But Why?
Women are more likely to have children in the same month as their own birth, and now researchers think they might know why. Births within immediate families tend to cluster within a given month, according to data on more than 10 million deliveries in France and Spain. Siblings tend to share the same birth month… read on > read on >